The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, recently tabled a budget of N305 billion before the National Assembly. The amount represents projected expenditure for the 2023 general election. According to Yakubu, the N305billion estimate is different from the N40billion yearly budget earmarked for the electoral body.
Part of the N40billion is for some off season elections coming up next year. The sum of N140billion was made available to the electoral body as a one line item in the budget. As Yakubu explained, part of the projected N305billion will be spent on some activities ahead of the 2023 election such as the replacement of some critical facilities like ballot boxes and voting cubicles. Other challenges ahead of the elections include the conduct of party primaries slated for 2022, registration of voters, printing of permanent voter’s cards and some vital technology devices.
At the end of the presentation, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sen. Jibrin Barau, gave assurance that the N305billion estimate had been duly accommodated in the N17trillion 2022 budget in the “general interest of the country.” There is no doubt that the conduct of the 2023 election will gulp a lot of money in the deployment of election personnel, logistics and security, among others. It is likely that the amount projected by INEC for the poll may increase before the commencement of the election because of inflation, depreciation of the national currency and foreign exchange challenges. Nonetheless, money should not be the main issue ahead of the 2023 general election.
However, government must ensure that the funds are timely released to enable the electoral body begin preparations for the exercise. For our democracy to endure, there is need for a credible, transparent and free election. Anything that will improve our electoral system and make it easier for candidates to accept the outcome is welcome.
Since Nigeria has embraced multiparty democracy, it must deliver purposeful leadership through a credible and transparent election. With about 22 years into our present democratic dispensation, our electoral process must be free, fair and transparent. Democracy makes meaning when the process is adjudged to be legitimate. For INEC to deliver free, fair and transparent poll in 2023, it must be adequately equipped to do the job. Apart from timely release of election budget, the necessary legal framework for the poll must be in place. That is why we insist that all the grey areas in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill are timely resolved to enable the electoral umpire make adequate preparations for the poll.
For our elections to be transparent and generally acceptable, the results must be transmitted electronically. We believe that nothing should be done to stop electronic transmission of election results in 2023. No doubt, INEC must have learnt some lessons from recent elections. It will factor such lessons in its preparation for the 2023 election. We commend INEC for the improvement recorded in recent elections, especially in the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.
The electoral body should improve its biometric voter identification and deployment of electoral materials. The reported malfunctioning of the biometric machine was one of the major drawbacks of the Anambra poll. That problem should be rectified before the next poll. Apart from the mobilisation and training of both permanent and ad hoc staff for election, voter education should be prioritised.
This should not be the job for INEC alone. Political parties, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and other agencies should be involved in voter education. The usual desperation of contestants and their sponsors and vote buying can be drastically reduced with effective and adequate voter education. On its part, government should realise that no peaceful, credible and transparent election will take place in an atmosphere of insecurity. Interestingly, President Muhammadu Buhari has given assurance to contain the current insecurity in the country and has equally promised to bequeath a credible and transparent election in 2023. Nigerians and the international community are watching.
We call on INEC to commence the preparations for the 2023 poll by putting its facilities in order. The success of any election can be determined through its preparation. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to ensure that INEC delivers a free and fair poll in 2023.